Thursday, March 11, 1999
Wyoming's run ends
BY JOHN SCHUTTE
Enquirer contributor
The Wyoming girls basketball team has relied on its defense to win games all year. When the Cowboys' strength failed them, they had nowhere to turn.
Miami East dominated offensively in the first half and handed Wyoming a 50-37 defeat in the regional semifinals Wednesday night at Vandalia Butler Activity Center. Wyoming defeated Miami East 45-38 last year in the district championship.
“We wanted to get the ball inside and force them to shoot outside,” Miami East head coach Christie Dodane said, “We were successful on both fronts.”
The Lady Vikings used the inside tandem of Mandy Petry and Carrie Chivington to open a 28-13 halftime lead. Petry scored 12 first-half points, 10 on layups, and Chivington added eight points, all on layups.
“We tried to front them in the post,” Wyoming coach Deb Gentile said. “They did a nice job clearing the backside and going over our defense.”
Wyoming also struggled on offense. The Cowboys had trouble against Miami East's 2-3 zone and were forced to shoot outside. The Cowboys sank just six first-half field goals and turned the ball over nine times.
The last play of the first half defined the game for Wyoming. Junior Jessie Roeth sank a long, off-balanced three-pointer as the buzzer sounded to give Miami East a commanding 28-13 lead.
“We hit a shot similar to that last year when we beat them in the districts,” Gentile said. “Tonight, they got all the rolls.”
Wyoming looked much crisper in the second half, but a hamstring injury to Robin Fulton with five minutes left in the third quarter hurt.
“They (Wyoming) tried to focus on me,” said Chivington, Miami East's center. “We have two good post players, they couldn't stop both of us.”
Sophomore center Maria McCarthy paced the Cowboys with 14.
Wyoming ends its season 17-7 after starting the year 2-4. Miami East remains undefeated and advances to the regional championship game against Versailles at 11 a.m. Saturday.
WYOMING (37) — R. Fulton 2 0 4, Verhaeghe 0 1 1, McCarthy 7 0 14, Newton 2 0 4, B. Fulton 1 0 2, McGee 3 0 8, Schmitt 2 0 4. Totals: 17 1-4 37.
MIAMI EAST (50) — Long 2 2 6, Petry 6 2 14, Vore 0 1 1, Roeth 3 1 8, Worthington 2 0 5, Chivington 7 2 16. Totals: 20 8 50.
Wyoming ....... 6 7 10 14—37
Miami East ....... 10 18 9 13—50
Three-pointers: W-McGee 2. ME-Worthington, Roeth. Records: W 17-7, ME 25-0.
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